


The Most Romantic Day of the Year

by Ink_Gypsy



Series: Lucky Clover Diner Universe [5]
Category: Lord of the Rings RPF (AU)
Genre: AU, M/M, Sean Astin/Elijah Wood - Freeform, holiday fics, lucky clover diner universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2017-04-07
Packaged: 2018-10-16 04:27:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10563693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ink_Gypsy/pseuds/Ink_Gypsy
Summary: Elijah feels bad that Sean hasn't acknowledged Valentine's Day.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Part of my Lucky Clover Diner universe.

[ ](https://imgur.com/AFJxOJL)

"Are you ready to go?” Elijah asked. They were closing down The Lucky Clover for the night, and as was his habit, Elijah was staying to help out because he enjoyed walking home with Sean.

“Not quite,” Sean replied. “Why don’t you go on ahead? I want to spend a little time with the books, and then I’ll be home.”

Elijah looked surprised. “I can stay and help you.”

“That’s not necessary. You go home and feed Cocoa. I know she’d enjoy some alone time with you.”

Elijah’s look of surprise changed to one of concern. “Is something wrong, Sean?”

Sean knew what Elijah was thinking and wondered if he would ever stop worrying about his place in Sean’s life. On the rare occasions when they were separated, he could see the doubt in Elijah’s eyes, could almost feel the fear Elijah was feeling as he wondered if Sean had stopped loving him. Sean hoped Elijah would eventually feel more secure about him as time passed, and was sure what he had planned for tonight would help. “Everything’s fine, Elijah,” he said. “I just want to work here where there are no distractions.”

Elijah didn’t look convinced, but he nodded and said, “Okay, I’ll see you at home.”

Sean had been right about Cocoa. When she saw Elijah come in alone, she ran to him, rubbing against his legs as if she hadn’t seen him in weeks instead of just that morning. He picked her up and nuzzled her, and when he put her down and went into the kitchen, she trotted along behind him and wove between his legs while he prepared her evening meal.

Leaving Cocoa to her dinner, Elijah went into the living room and dropped down onto the couch. He turned on the TV and began to channel-surf, but he got disgusted when every commercial was about Valentine’s Day, a holiday Sean had obviously forgotten, despite the number of couples having dinner at the diner.

They hadn’t celebrated it last year, but they were still getting to know each other then, hadn’t even made love yet. Even his birthday had passed by without notice last year, but he couldn’t blame Sean for that since at that time Elijah hadn’t told Sean when his birthday was. Sean had made up for it this year. On his birthday this year, Sean had gotten a birthday cake, complete with candles, and knowing how much Elijah loved music, he’d given him an MP3 player and a year’s subscription to Rhapsody for a gift.

This day of hearts and flowers wasn’t the same as a birthday, and maybe guys didn’t celebrate romantic holidays when they were with other guys instead of girls. While he hadn’t expected a big celebration, it would have been nice if Sean had at least kissed him and said, “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

Maybe he was expecting too much from Sean. Elijah loved working at the diner, but he began to wonder if maybe it wasn’t the best idea. Was it possible that their being together 24/7 was starting to be too much for Sean? Hadn’t he talked about Elijah going to school so he could get a better job? Maybe that had been Sean’s way of saying he wanted some distance from him.

Once she’d finished eating, Cocoa came into the living room and jumped up onto Elijah’s lap. “You can be my Valentine, okay?” he told her, leaning down and kissing the top of her head. In response, the kitten climbed up his chest so she could rub her head under his chin. He let her stay there and gently stroked her back, which started her purring like a motorboat. She eventually slid back down onto his lap where she eventually fell asleep. Not wanting to disturb her, Elijah picked up the remote and turned the television on again, keeping the volume low while he clicked through channels until he settled on a horror movie guaranteed to make him forget about Valentine’s Day.

The masked killer had just chased the cheerleader into the abandoned cabin in the woods when the phone rang. “Hello?” Elijah answered.

“It’s me, Sean,” Sean said, as if Elijah wouldn’t recognize his voice.

“Will you be home soon?” Elijah asked.

“It’s taking longer than I expected,” Sean explained. “Would you mind coming back to the diner and we can have dinner here?”

“Sure,” Elijah agreed. “I’ll be right over.” To Cocoa’s annoyance he stood, lifting her up with him then gently putting her down on the sofa in the same spot where he’d been sitting. She got comfortable again and went right back to sleep. He put on his coat and left the apartment.

The diner was locked. Elijah took out the key Sean had given him, but before he had a chance to use it, the door swung open. “Welcome, Sir,” Sean greeted him with a bow. “Your table is ready.”

“My table?” Elijah asked, understandably confused.

“Yes, right this way,” Sean instructed, and Elijah followed him obediently to the large booth at the back of the diner.

Rather than the usual setup, the tabletop was covered with a cloth tablecloth. Silverware rested on cloth napkins, and instead of the regular industrial white, the two plates on the table had a delicate rose pattern. There were even candles on the table, two long tapers in glass holders.

“You did all this?” Elijah marveled. “Why?”

“Because Valentine’s Day deserves a special dinner.”

“I was sure you didn’t remember what today was.”

“Forget Valentine’s Day?” Sean asked. “Never. You don’t let the most romantic day of the year pass without celebrating.” He stepped away, returning with a bouquet of red, long-stemmed roses. Presenting them to Elijah, he said, “For my Valentine.”

Elijah looked at the flowers. “Is this something guys do?” he asked. “Give flowers to other guys?”

“It’s something this guy does,” Sean told him. “Do you like them?”

“Does it make me girly if I do?”

Sean smiled. “No, it makes you someone who appreciates beautiful things. Gender shouldn’t enter into loving beauty.”

“You sent your Mom flowers.”

“Those were Mom flowers,” Sean explained. “These are lover flowers.”

“Then I love them.”

“Good. Now for the dinner portion of the evening.” Sean picked up their plates and disappeared into the kitchen. He returned a few minutes later and placed the plates back on the table. “I hope you like chicken parmigiana.”

On the plates were chicken breasts smothered in mozzarella and sauce, and with a side of some type of curly pasta. It smelled heavenly.

“You made this?” Elijah asked.

“I wish I could take the credit, but my culinary talent doesn’t extend to anything like this. I got takeout from Bazzarrelli.”

Bazzarrelli’s was a fancy Italian restaurant several blocks away. Whenever Elijah passed it, the delicious smells originating in their kitchen always drifted out onto the street, making his mouth water, but he never thought of eating there because he felt it would be betraying Sean.

“Anything you made would have been fine,” Elijah said.

“Tonight calls for better than fine,” Sean replied. “I even got wine.”

Elijah’s eyebrows rose. “You’re going to let me drink wine?” he asked. “You’re going to corrupt a minor?”

“Half a glass,” Sean said as he poured wine into two wine glasses, “and only because it’s a special occasion.” When they both raised their glasses, Sean proclaimed, “To Valentine’s Day.” The face Elijah made after tasting the wine told Sean he didn’t like it, but that was fine. He wasn’t much for the grape himself. Getting up from the table, he went back to the counter and returned with two glasses of soda.

After dessert, large wedges of cheesecake, also from Bazzarrellis, that he knew he’d pay for later, or more accurately, his waistline would, Sean said, “Did you enjoy the meal?”

“I enjoyed everything,” Elijah replied. “The special dinner, the fancy table, the roses. I didn’t know you were such a romantic.”

“Do you mind?”

“Fuck no.”

“Good, but don’t expect this kind of treatment every day.”

“You’ve treated me better than anyone ever has, Sean. I hope you know I appreciate it.”

“You don’t have to keep thanking me for doing something you deserve, Elijah.”

“I’m sorry,” Elijah apologized. “It’s just that you’re the first person who ever made me feel like I deserved anything good.”

Sean had mixed feelings about Elijah’s words. While he was glad to know Elijah felt better about himself, the worry that gratitude was the reason Elijah was with him raised its ugly head. He was happier than he’d ever been, but was that happiness based on something other than love? The difference in their ages, and the specifics of their meeting would always have him questioning their relationship.

As if reading his mind, Elijah said, “I didn’t think I could love you more, but then you go and make this special night for me.”

Sean hoped the relief he was feeling didn’t show on his face. He told Elijah, “And it’s not over yet. I thought we’d go out, maybe take in a movie. There’s got to be something you’ve been dying to see.”

Elijah shook his head. “The only place I want to go is home where I can spend the rest of this romantic night in bed with you.”

The thought of spending the night making love to Elijah made Sean wish he’d set the dinner up somewhere other than the diner. If he had, he could leave the cleanup until the morning, but it was business as usual tomorrow, so the two of them went to work. They threw away the takeout containers, then washed the dishes, glasses and silverware. Next they took the tablecloth, candles and wine off the tabletop, leaving the booth looking as it always did. After packing everything up in the box Sean had brought for that purpose, they locked up the diner and went home.

Cocoa was happy to see her humans home, but surprised when they didn’t stop to play with her. After putting down the box, Sean and Elijah headed straight for the bedroom, peeling off their clothes as they went. Thinking they were going to sleep, the kitten trotted into the bedroom after them, ready to take her usual place on the bed between them.

“No you don’t,” Sean said, scooping her up and putting her down just outside the bedroom door. “Sorry, Cocoa, but I’m not sharing Elijah with anyone tonight, not even you.” And with that he closed the door.

The lovers could hear Cocoa’s mewing right through the door. She wanted to be let into the bedroom, but as plaintive as her cries were, this night was going to be for just the two of them.

[](https://imgur.com/RIXETOe)


End file.
